The Hobbit Sisters
by Jessie Brown 4
Summary: These eight young hobbits have been friends their whole lives. But when Bilbo disappears, Frodo is left alone at Bag End with a mysterious ring. Now this journey may change their lives forever. Will things ever be the same when they return...if they survive that is?
1. Chapter 1

**The Hobbit Sisters**

A _Lord of the Rings_ Fan-fic

By

Cassidy Evans

**Hi everyone! This one isn't by me. I have a friend who doesn't have a Fan-Fiction Profile so I offered her to post it on mine. I'm so nervous and excited and scared! I hope you enjoy because she's a great writer! **

**A Long Expected Party **

"Violet!" Violet Cotton heard a loud almost obnoxious voice call out to her through the fog of sleep that seemed to almost hold her captive. "Violet!" She moaned and rolled over in her comfortable bed; trying to escape the noise when someone stomped on over and yanked the covers clean off of her making her jolt upward in surprise.

"Hey!" She cried, glaring at her 'assailant' who turned out to be none other than her older sister Rosie. "What is it? What did I miss?"

"Breakfast, and nearly second breakfast as well. I told you it was a bad idea to tag along with those rascals on their little expedition last night. You've already slept most of the morning, and it's high time you got up. We've got a lot to do before we can get ready for Bilbo's party tonight, and I know you don't want to miss out on that." Rosie explained her voice a bit softer now though clipped with impatience to Violet's ears, as she handed her sister a plate full of her favorite foods.

"Thank you." Violet replied, nodding her head in acknowledgement of her kindness, though she was honestly the tiniest bit annoyed at the comment about her outing with Merry and Pippin the night before. They were two of her best boy friends in the entire world (Merry in particular, though you could hardly separate the two), and the three of them, along with her three other best friends Ebony (Pippin's little sister), Aquamarine, and Jessamine (though not as often) were notorious for their pranks. In fact they had actually been setting up their latest masterpiece late into the night, and its target was standing completely unawares right in that room. Though that prank was nothing in comparison to what the five of them (Jessa was sadly not included) had planned for that night. "What is it exactly that we have to do today? I thought we took work off at the Prancing Pony for the specific reason of Bilbo's party." She continued, trying to hide her sudden smirk as she took a big bite out of her mouthwatering second breakfast.

"Yes, but Papa and the boys still need our help around the farm." Rosie responded, her tone now back to its normal gentle and un-reproaching tone. "Besides I want to get there early. I can't wait. Do you think Sam will ask me for a dance?" She asked her face positively lighting up at the prospect, while Violet's heart seemed to sink to the bottom of her furry toes.

All her guilt at picking on or resenting her older sister automatically faded away as she thought about Samwise Gamgee, their longtime family friend, and her secret crush since childhood. She had always looked up to Sam for his kind and gentle spirit, and it wasn't long for that admiration to turn into love. But of course it simply wasn't meant to be. For Rosie liked Sam too. The only difference being Sam actually liked her back. And what's more she couldn't blame him. Everyone loved Rosie. She was the pretty one after all with her long golden curls and bright baby blue eyes, in comparison to Violet's short light brown waves and stormy blue eyes. It was nearly impossible to try not to compare them, and over the years the resentment had begun to steadily build in her heart though she knew Rosie had never intended for such a thing to happen.

"Undoubtedly." She muttered under her breath, shoving the last bite into her mouth before scrambling to her feet and reaching for the clothes someone (most likely her mother) had laid out for her and hurrying to the bathroom to change. "Guess I'd better go get started on my chores though. Oh and Rosie. Do you think you could do me a favor and get Jessamine's book for me? I think I left it out behind the barn yesterday when Merry and Pippin came over."

"Alright, though you really should be more careful, especially when you borrow other people's things." She agreed her tone still sweet despite the reprimanding tone, but the damage was already done and she was not about to back out.

"Yes, I know. Thank you." She replied in her own sugary air, as she closed the bathroom door and began to change.

"Ahhh!" She heard a shrill voice scream in the distance just as she was exiting, and a small chuckle escaped her lips. "VIOLET!"

Meanwhile Jessamine Greenhand lay on a sturdy branch in one of her favorite tree's utterly absorbed in her latest book. She gasped jolting upright as the villain stabbed at the hero catching him off guard and casting what should have been a fatal blow, and she actually fell out of the tree in the process. "Ah!" She shrieked until she landed in a bush not far from where her best friend Frodo was sitting. His eyes widened in surprise, as he put down his own book and rushed over to help her up, though they began to twinkle with mirth as he realized what had happened.

"Hello Jessa. Nice of you to drop by." He teased chuckling to himself and making her blush a slight pink that seemed to contrast nicely with her hazel eyes, as she reached to brush a few leaves from her own light curly brown hair that reached to just past her shoulders.

"Thanks. Guess I'll have to make a point of doing so more often. Only next time, could you do me a favor Frodo, and try to catch me?" She replied, shoving him playfully and the two laughed together until they heard a familiar and beloved voice coming from down the road. Their eyes met, and with huge grins, they leapt to their feet and began running in its direction as fast as their legs would carry them. Sure enough there was a little old man driving a horse drawn cart filled with fireworks coming up the road his face hidden by the brim of his tall bluish grey hat.

"The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone. And I must follow if I can." He sang until Frodo stepped forward and interrupted him.

"You're late!" He accused with his arms crossed over his chest, Jessamine adopting a similar position from her spot beside him.

"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." The old man replied as he stopped the cart and turned to slowly gaze upon the two hobbits an emphatic expression on his face.

It didn't last long and all three of them were laughing before Frodo had launched himself into the cart and was giving him a hug. "It's wonderful to see you Gandalf!"

"Yes." Jessamine agreed following suit. "We've missed you so much!" The great old wizard chuckled as he hugged two of his favorite hobbits in the world.

"Ooh! You didn't think I'd miss your Uncle Bilbo's birthday?" He asked and the two grinned up at him in response as they took their seats on either side of him and he started the cart in motion once again. "So how is the old rascal? I hear it's going to be a party of special magnificence."

"You know Bilbo. He's got the whole place in an uproar." Frodo informed him as he shook his head, smiling with pride in his favorite relative.

"Well, that should please him!" Gandalf mused chuckling to himself.

"Half the Shire's been invited. And the rest of them are turning up anyway." Jessamine continued explaining, and that got the rest of them laughing again as they came up to Hobbiton.

"To tell you the truth, Bilbo's been a bit odd lately. I mean, more than usual. He's taken to locking himself in his study. He spends hours and hours poring over old maps when he thinks I'm not looking. He's up to something." Frodo said his voice taking on a concerned tone, yet Gandalf did his best not to take notice of it, avoiding looking at either of the hobbits. "All right then keep your secrets."

"Hmmph." Gandalf sniffed at the implication, though none of them were fooled.

"But I know you have something to do with it." Frodo accused his smile returning, perhaps not as heartily as it had before.

"Good gracious me!" Gandalf protested lightly.

"Before you came along we Bagginses were very well thought of." He continued sounding quite proud of the fact.

"Indeed?" Gandalf asked in a mock incredulous/curious tone.

"Never had any adventures or did anything unexpected." Frodo insisted quite matter of fact.

"If you're referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved. All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door." The wizard replied vying for his innocence, but Jessa knew the story far too well than to believe that.

"Whatever you did, you've been officially labeled a disturber of the peace." She told him grimly, though in all honesty it was one of the things she'd admired most about him.

"Oh really?" He asked turning to look at a hobbit man whose house they were passing. He was glaring at the three of them as if they were all great troublemakers, Gandalf for obvious reasons, Frodo and Jessamine by association.

He didn't have long to dwell on this before a group full of young hobbit children came rushing out into the street after the cart calling, "Gandalf! Gandalf! Fireworks? Gandalf!" Before sighing in disappointment as he seemed to pass by without even acknowledging their requests. Just then a bunch of small fireworks lit off the back of the cart and into the air as if by magic, and they all began to squeal with utter delight.

"Gandalf, I'm glad you're back." Frodo said as both he and Jessa leapt from the cart and began to walk off down the hill side by side.

"So am I, dear boy! So am I." They heard Gandalf muse almost nostalgically behind them.

"Well what do you want to do now?" She asked him before they had gotten too far, and he merely shrugged in response.

"I'm not sure. Where is everyone?" He asked in return, though he seemed to be deep in thought about something else, and she wondered if he was still worried about Bilbo. She could hardly blame him. She had noticed the oddities too, having spent as much time over at Bag-End as she possibly could. It actually hadn't proved that hard seeing as Frodo was her best friend, and she was Bilbo's assistant gardener, under her cousin (or so they called each other seeing as they were closely related and this was the easiest term) Sam.

"Well Violet's probably finishing up a few chores at home, Mina's either working down at the mill or whatever other odd job she could find, and who knows what Merry, Pippin and Ebony are up to." She responded and the two shared a knowing smile as they thought of all the different kinds of mischief those three could be brewing at that very moment. Heaven knew they had something big planned for the party that evening, while exactly what neither of them could be absolutely sure of.

"What about Sam? Did he tell you his plans?" He asked and she immediately stopped in her tracks, eyes going wide as she thought of her beloved cousin.

"Sam!" She gasped. "Oh bother! He was going to do some work in Bilbo's garden this morning, and I was supposed to help him. Oh! He's going to strangle me."

"I highly doubt it." Frodo tried to assure her, patting her arm gently. "You're his favorite cousin, I'm sure he'll understand. Or at least forgive you even if he doesn't."

"Thanks. Guess I'd better get going then. I'd hate to make him finish it all by himself. See you at the party?" She asked as she began to turn back up the hill towards Bag Shot row.

"Of course." He agreed, and with a wave she was off, running as fast as she could.

Jessamine wasn't far off on her guess about Mina's (Aquamarine's) whereabouts, though in fact she was on one of those odd jobs she had described at the home of none other than Bilbo Baggins. In fact she was just putting the finishing touches on the illustrious birthday cake when she heard a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" She called out loud enough for Bilbo to hear her as she hurried to answer the door. "Gandalf!" She cried in surprised delight, throwing her arms around the slightly startled wizard making him laugh at yet another young hobbits eager greeting.

"Oh he'll be so pleased to see you. Just a moment. Bilbo! There's someone here to see you." She left him standing there at the door, too excited to remember to invite him in and not having the authority to do so anyway, rushing right into Bilbo who had just been coming out of his study to see what all the commotion was about.

"No thank you! We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers or distant relations!" He told her sounding quite frustrated with the many 'delightful' visitors he had received over the last few days, raising his voice so as to be heard from outside.

"And what about very old friends?" Gandalf called in return before Mina could even think of an argument, and immediately Bilbo's face softened his eyes widening with surprise and then excitement.

"Gandalf?" He asked as he dashed for the door, forcing Mina to quickly dart out of the way in an attempt to avoid being trampled.

"Bilbo Baggins!" Gandalf cried his face full of joy at the sight of his dear friend.

"My dear Gandalf." Bilbo said just as emphatically and the two embraced, happy to be reunited once again.

"Good to see you! One hundred and eleven years old – who would believe it?" Gandalf mused as Bilbo ushered him inside of his comfy hobbit-hole. "You haven't aged a day."

"I've been telling him that all morning and he still won't believe me." Mina agreed coming over to stand by the two of them, a playful smirk on her face as she gazed endearingly at the old hobbit, and they all laughed.

He (Bilbo) had been her greatest hero for as long as she could remember. He had taken an interest in Mina it seemed almost since the moment she was born. In fact it was rumored that he was the one who had presented the Noakes with their one precious treasure, the Aquamarine stone for which she was named, and hung around her neck on a silver chain. Many people commented on how it's color seemed to have a vibrant contrast against her darker olive toned skin, shoulder length dark brown (almost black) curly hair, and deep dark brown eyes.

"Thank you Mina, but I think we all know you're both just being kind." Bilbo said modestly though his grin seemed as bright as the sun.

"Whatever you say Bilbo." Mina teased rolling her eyes, before shoring up her shoulders and getting on to business. "Well the cake is all frosted and ready in the kitchen for Miss Bracegirdle whenever she wants to come pick it up. I'll be going straight to the mill after I've dropped off these last party decorations, unless you'll be needing anything else."

"No that's quite alright. Thank you so much for all you do Mina. I don't know how I'd get along without you." He told her as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins and forced them into her hand.

"No thanks necessary, Mister Bilbo. You pay me far too generously as it is." She replied as she gazed down at the money, feeling tears of gratitude nearly spring into her eyes, but she forced them back just in time. "See you at the party tonight and you two Gandalf." With that she gathered up the last of the decorations and was gone.

"She's a wonderful girl." Bilbo sighed to Gandalf as soon as the door had closed.

"A bit of a trouble maker, but yes I'd agree." The wizard said, smiling as he thought of all the mischief he had caught her, Violet, Ebony, Merry, and Pippin at.

"I used to have high hopes for her and Frodo you know? That is until Jessamine came fully into the picture." Bilbo admitted his smile seeming to brighten even more (if that's even possible) as he mentioned the other lass.

"Yes they do seem quite fond of each other don't they?" Gandalf considered thoughtfully. "Well it's a good thing. Frodo needs a sensible girl like her to help take care of him" Bilbo nodded his head in agreement.

"He certainly does."

It was late evening the sun having set, the party in full swing, and Ebony Took was extremely bored as she waited with her brother and cousin inside a tent across from Gandalf's cart full of fireworks. "Where are those two? What could be taking them so long?" Merry asked fiddling with the apple in his hand in frustration and impatience.

"Mina's probably just getting off work." Ebony spoke up for her friend. "And Violet's…"

"Right here." The young hobbit said proudly as she ducked under the tent and bowed to her friends as if she had accomplished some great feat, while they laughed as quietly as they could and applauded.

"So how did it go? Did she fall for it? Did you get into trouble?" Pippin asked her, and Ebony smiled at her brother's contagious enthusiasm. It was one of the things she loved most about him, and why they were so close. Almost like twins, despite the fact that they looked nothing alike: with her jet black curls and amber eyes, the exact opposite of Pippin's light brown locks and green eyes.

"Slow down Pip. One question at a time." Violet admonished him chuckling to herself. "It went just as we planned, she never suspected a thing. One second she was looking for a book next she was covered in a nice concoction of coal dust and lake moss. You should have heard her scream."

"Remind me why you pranked Rosie again?" Ebony asked as she watched the other three fall to the ground with laughter, struggling to stay quiet enough to keep from being discovered.

"Because it sounded fun." Merry told her matter of factly as he slowly got back to his feet.

"And Rosie's not the type to hold a grudge. She'll get over it. In time." Violet added smirking, yet Ebony could tell she felt the tiniest bit guilty.

"What happened then?" Pippin asked wanting to know every detail of how their 'ingenious' plan had worked out.

"She had to take a three hour bath down in the pond to get the stench out, and I got to do all of her chores as punishment." She replied shrugging her shoulders indifferently at the news. "It wasn't bad. I still got done a lot earlier than my brothers, and the look on her face was priceless. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."

"Well then I guess it's on to our next masterpiece isn't it?" Merry announced his eyes twinkling with prospective mischief. "Are you ready my friends?"

"Yes!" Ebony and Violet cried together, just as Pippin said, "No!"

"Mina's not here yet. We can't start without her." He insisted as they all turned to gape at him.

"Well why don't you go find her then? I'm tired of waiting." Merry suggested, and Pippin nodded before ducking out from under the tent.

"I think I'll go stand watch." Ebony added eager to be doing something a little more useful than simply waiting there.

"Are you sure Bonnie? That's a big job. I can always do it myself if you can't handle it." Merry teased, and she smirked at her cousin.

"I can handle it. But thanks for your offer. You and Violet just try to make yourselves useful in here." She returned snatching the apple out his hands, and crawling out to stand directly beside the cart looking out for any sign of Gandalf and the perfect moment to execute their prank: as soon as Pippin and Mina returned.

Mina was exhausted by the time she got to the party, having rushed home after putting in a hard day's work at the mill and then being forced to 'tidy up' (more like doll up) by her grandmother and all she wanted to do was take a moment to catch her breath. So as soon as she saw one of her friends sitting at one of the table's a mug of ale in his hands she immediately went to join him.

"Hey Sam. How are you?" She asked as she plopped down on the bench beside him.

"Oh fine, Mina. And you?" He asked smiling comfortably at her after overcoming his shock at her seemingly sudden appearance.

"Tired, but excited. I've been looking forward to this for a long time." She replied, though she noticed that his eyes kept wandering over to where Rosie Cotton was dancing her heart out in the middle of a huge group of Hobbits. "She's pretty isn't she?" She asked, giving him a knowing smile.

"What? Who's pretty?" He asked blushing bright red at the comment, which only made Mina giggle. She knew Sam better than that. In fact, he was one of her closest friends and confidantes, and she knew she was the same for him.

"You know who I'm talking about." She said firmly, and a slow shy smile spread across his face. He looked like he was about to say something when Frodo plopped down between the two, having finished his own dance, laughing with glee.

"Hey what are you two up to?" He asked, even as he began to assess the situation for himself.

"Sam's been sneaking glances at a certain fair maiden and working up the courage to talk to her, haven't you Sam." Mina answered for him.

"No." He spluttered embarrassed as he took one last gulp of his ale and avoided looking at either of them, which wouldn't have mattered as they weren't looking at him either.

Instead they shared a conspiratorial smile, as Frodo suggested, "Go on Sam! Ask Rosie for a dance!"

"I think I'll just have another ale." Sam said getting to his feet to head in the opposite direction, but they wouldn't let him.

"Oh no you don't! Go on!" Mina cried as the two pushed him right into the waiting arms of Rosie Cotton, and the two turned and laughed with one another quite proud of their accomplishment (though Mina felt the tiniest bit guilty as she thought of poor Violet).

"I think that's a job well done. How about you?" He asked her, and she smiled and nodded eagerly. "Have you seen Jessamine yet? I've been looking for her all night. She said she'd meet me here."

"Not yet, but I've only just arrived myself. I'm sure she's around here somewhere." She tried to assure him, as she turned and scanned the crowd. Suddenly she spotted her, beautiful hobbit lass in a lavender dress, dancing quite reluctantly with one of the least desirable hobbit lads in the whole Shire. "Oh great. Richard Grubb has gotten to her."

"Really? Where?" Frodo asked, as she pointed the 'couple' out and he frowned. "Well now what do we do? She doesn't seem too happy at all."

"Why would she be? Richard has been bugging her ever since we were kids. We'd better do something before he tries to steal a kiss." She muttered glaring at the rude boy who had tormented the group from infancy, always picking on Violet and trying to make his 'claim' on both Jessamine and Ebony. He simply wouldn't take no for an answer.

"What? Would he really do that?" Frodo asked gaping at her in horror at the very idea, his jaw beginning to twitch in a weird way, extremely uncharacteristic for Frodo. If Mina didn't know any better she would've thought he was jealous.

"I wouldn't be surprised." She replied shrugging, before grabbing his hands and pulling him along with her. "Come on, dance with me. I have an idea." With that the two began to dance, and under her silent but careful directions Frodo lead them into a circle that included both Richard and Jessamine and Sam and Rosie. Mina desperately tried to make eye contact with Sam and when she finally did, she gestured in Jessa's direction. As realization dawned in his eyes, he nodded his head firmly, being very protective of his cousin and determined to help her in any way. With that both he and Frodo immediately spun their girls out, as if to pass them in a clockwise direction, forcing Richard to release Jessamine as Rosie spun into his arms.

The second Frodo had hold of her he began to lead them out of the circle as quickly as he could, and Mina could see the gratitude in her eyes as she clung to her Frodo and the two continued to dance elsewhere, while Grubb glared after them. Mina laughed, and she and Sam turned to grin at each other. "Thanks Sam. You really didn't have to do that you know. Frodo and I could have made it work with just the two of us if necessary."

"I know. But I wanted to help. Besides it works better with a circle. That way he has no choice but to cooperate or seem like a bad sport." He replied, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly as if to brush the whole thing off. "And I know he isn't exactly nice to you." Mina shrugged herself at this.

"Nice or not, he's better to me than he is to Jessa, and this is your night to dance with Rosie. Come on. We'll make him switch partners again, whether he wants to or not." She insisted a grim look of determination coming over her face.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and she simply nodded her head in response, preparing herself as the two lads began to spin their girls out and she was about to put herself at the mercy of an extremely furious Richard Grubb. At that very moment another figure stepped in, taking her into his arms and leading her away at a brisk pace left the offensive hobbit standing there all alone completely irate.

"Pippin!" Mina cried as she realized who her rescuer was, and laughed at the cocky grin on his face as he looked down at her.

"It seems you've been getting yourself into the wrong kind of trouble Miss Noake's. Don't you know it's bad form to get involved with a Grubb. Much better to be with a Took." He informed her jokingly.

"Oh really?" She teased the boy who had to be undoubtedly her best friend in the entire world (aside from maybe Sam). "I'm glad you're here to set me straight then."

"Anytime." He assured her. "Now let's go steal some fireworks shall we?"

Ebony was nibbling at her apple from her spot atop the fireworks cart, when she suddenly heard Gandalf rounding the corner. Startled and having nowhere else to go, she fell backwards into the cart itself, letting out a little, "Eeep!" as she did so. Gandalf reached in and grabbed an armful of his prized creations before heading off once again to join in the revelry. Merry peeped out from behind the tent, just as Ebony pulled her way to the surface and nodded down at him.

"Quickly!" He cried tapping on the tent from which his three friends suddenly appeared. "Get the goods." Pippin immediately grabbed Mina from around the waist and lifted her up beside Ebony before following himself, while Violet and Merry kept watch on the ground. Both of the Tooks grabbed the first firework they saw and were about to climb out when Violet hissed at them. "No, no the big one, big one."

Looking more carefully Mina instantly spotted a big, red, dragon shaped firework and held it high for the others approval. "Perfect! Now come on!" Pippin said leaping from the cart before reaching up for her, and practically carrying both her and the firework as he darted away, the others not far behind them. All except for Merry who waited a moment to pick up the apple Ebony had dropped in her haste. Dusting it off he took a big bite before turning to follow his friends.

"Done." Pippin said quite pleased with himself as he lit the firework in a nearby tent.

"You're supposed to stick it in the ground!" Merry yelled at him.

"It is in the ground." Pippin insisted.

"Outside!" Ebony explained torn between laughing and screaming herself.

"Well then you take it!" He said shoving it into her arms.

"No let Violet take it!"

"Oh no! Pippin's the one who lit it!"

"It was Merry's idea!" But just before Pippin could pass the firework off once again, it went off taking the whole tent with it and sending the five conspirators crashing to the ground. Hobbits everywhere began to scream and run as it turned into what appeared to be a fire breathing dragon soaring right over their heads before returning to the sky and exploding into a million breathtaking colors.

"That was good!" Merry said, grinning excitedly at their accomplishment.

"Let's get another one!" Pippin agreed, but before either of them could make a move they were assailed from behind.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. I might have known." Gandalf said holding the two boys by their ears. "Oh I wouldn't be off in such a hurry if I were you ladies. You're not off the hook either. Violet Cotton, Aquamarine Noakes, and Ebony Took. I'm very disappointed in you." He called out to the three girls who had tried to sneak off while he was distracted, and now were turning to grin sheepishly back up at him. All except for Ebony that is.

"But not surprised right?" She asked absolutely beaming with pride at being a part of this little group of mischief makers. Gandalf only smirked in reply, before setting them all to washing dishes as a suitable punishment.

"Speech, Bilbo! Speech!" The Hobbits cried excitedly, and Jessamine quickly joined in from her spot beside Frodo and Sam (she wasn't s certain of what exactly had become of the rest of her friends, but she was pretty sure the surprise firework she had seen earlier had something to do with it) as Bilbo smiled down at them before beginning to speak.

"My dear Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles, and Proudfoots." He began, each family cheering as he said

their name, including one of the Proudfoots who called out "Proudfeet!" as a correction (they get their names for a reason you know). "Today is my One hundred and eleventieth birthday."

"Happy birthday!" They all shouted in return.

"Alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." It was silent for a moment, and Jessamine couldn't help but giggle as the rest of the hobbits tried to figure out whether to be insulted or pleased.

"I, uh, I have things to do. I've put this off far too long. I regret to announce – this is the end. I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell. Goodbye." He continued in a soft halting voice and then suddenly he vanished.

**Frodo's joke is the best pun I've heard in my life! I hope you enjoyed yourself! Please leave a review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A Shadow from the Past**

**Well, here's the next chapter! **

Jessamine gasped as she stared directly at the place where Bilbo had so mysteriously disappeared. Frodo had immediately reached out and started gripping her hand, as if she were some kind of lifeline. She turned to face him and seeing the absolute fear and confusion in his eyes, she returned the pressure drawing his eyes toward hers and offered a small smile. He returned it, albeit weakly, and as she gazed into those gorgeous blue eyes she felt something pass between them. Something she couldn't quite describe, but had been experiencing for a while now almost every time she and Frodo met; and she liked it.

"What do we do Mister Frodo, Miss Jessamine? What's happened to poor Mister Bilbo?" Sam asked bringing her back to the situation at hand, in essence almost ripping her away from Frodo trapped in his own little world of shock.

"I don't know Sam. Search I guess, though I don't see how much use it will be with all of these hobbits running about in a panic." She sighed wincing at the utter chaos that surrounded her; not something you saw every day in the Shire, although pretty much nothing Bilbo did these days could be considered common place.

"Did you see it? What happened?" Mina asked, completely breathless as she ran up to join her friends. Both Sam and Jessa gaped at her in surprise for she was soaked head to foot, and her beautiful dark curly brown hair was covered in soap suds.

"What in all of Middle-earth happened to you?" They asked in unison, making Mina both laugh and blush at the same time.

"You know that firework from earlier? The really cool dragon one? Well that was us, and for punishment Gandalf made us wash the dishes." She explained as nonchalantly as possible.

"So naturally you just had to start a water fight, huh?" Sam asked rolling his eyes and smiling at his friend who was beaming back at him.

"Pretty much." She agreed, as an equally soaking Ebony and Violet came up behind her.

"Oh it wasn't that big of a deal. Gandalf stopped us before we could have any real fun." Violet said with a wink that made all of them laugh, except for Frodo who seemed frozen in place. The only thing assuring Jessa that he was still alive the increasing grip on her hand. Suddenly he leapt to his feet and pulling free from her and all of those around him went charging up the Hill.

"Now where's he going?" Ebony asked, but Jessamine didn't stick around to listen, rather she took off after him, pushing herself so hard she felt like she was flying to catch up with him. She finally did just that as he reached Bag-End and burst inside crying, "Bilbo! Bilbo!"

They both scanned the room but there was no sign of him, and as Jessa took a step forward in an effort to get a better look she stepped on something cool and round on the threshold. Curious she bent over to pick up a small plain gold ring that sent strange unwelcome shivers through her at a single touch.

"My precious." She heard someone whisper making the awful shivering intensify frightening her into nearly dropping the thing. "Precious…" She looked up and saw Gandalf smoking a pipe over by the fireplace, his brow creased in deep thought.

"He's gone hasn't he? He talked for so long about leaving. I didn't think he'd really do it." Frodo said, his voice sounding the tiniest bit hollow as he walked over to stand beside the wizard; but he didn't look up. He didn't even seem to notice either of them.

"Gandalf?" Jessamine prodded, reaching out to tap him on the shoulder.

"Hm…" He mumbled seeming the tiniest bit startled, but he smiled as soon as he saw their faces staring with concern down at him. That is until he noticed the object in her outstretched hand. "Bilbo's Ring. He's gone to stay with the Elves. He's left you Bag End." He told Frodo, whipping out an envelope and opening it up towards Jessamine so she could ever so carefully slip the Ring inside it. The relief was almost instantaneous, yet at the same time she felt the tiniest bit of pain at its parting. She had no idea why. "Along with all of his possessions. The Ring is yours now. Put it somewhere out of sight."

With that he came to his feet and began gathering his hat and staff. "Where are you going?" Frodo asked not eager to be abandoned twice in the same day.

"There are things that I must see to." Gandalf informed him brusquely as he continued to prepare to leave.

"What things?" Jessamine asked, equally confused and distressed by the Wizards sudden parting.

"Questions. Questions that need answering!"

"But you've only just arrived! I don't understand." Frodo insisted, and he halted just as he was about to walk out the front door. Turning back he gave both of the Hobbits a sympathetic smile, before coming back and putting a hand on both of their shoulders.

Still it was Frodo he looked at as he said, "Neither do I. Keep it secret. Keep it safe." Then he turned to glance at Jessamine and his eyes seemed to echo Bilbo's words from earlier, sending a surge of warmth and nearly overwhelming responsibility over her. And with that, he was gone. Just like Bilbo.

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Violet asked in a huff as she entered the room only a second later, obviously having run into Gandalf on his way out.

"We have no idea." Jessamine admitted smiling as her whole group of friends (Sam, Merry, Pippin, Ebony and Mina) came ever so carefully inside to join them, all looking about the place uncertainly as if unsure what to expect. "But knowing Gandalf it's probably someplace important."

"Is it true then? Is Bilbo really gone?" Mina asked her voice soft, her eyes wide and sad.

"Yes. He's really gone. Off on another one of his adventures. I don't suppose we'll ever see him again." Frodo told her with a matching expression, though his shoulders slumped as well, as if he'd had the weight of the world placed upon them.

"Don't say that Frodo! Of course we will. Someday." Jessa tried to reassure him, taking his hand in hers and giving it a quick squeeze.

"Yeah. We'll just have to go on an adventure of our own to find him." Ebony suggested with a soft but determined smile.

"Yay! We're going on an adventure!" Merry, Pippin and Violet all cheered in unison, making the rest of them laugh.

"Thank you friends, but I'm not sure Bilbo intended for anyone to follow him. Besides we have lives of our own. We can't just get up and leave. Not yet anyway." Frodo said but despite his resigned tone, he indeed already looked considerably cheered; as much as could be expected under the circumstances anyway.

"I suppose you're right. But I'll miss him so." Ebony sighed, and her perpetually cheery face started to fall. Seeing this both Mina and Pippin immediately stepped over and put their arms around her.

"Me too." Mina whispered her own voice near the breaking point as she held the younger girl whom she considered as much her little sister as Pippin's. (I think they all did, except for Sam who surprisingly didn't know Ebony very well, and vice versa.) He, Pip, adjusted himself so he was embracing both girls in his arms.

"Would you like us to say here with you tonight, Mr. Frodo? Keep you company and all?" Sam asked speaking up as he noticed the glum looks on all his friends' faces, and each of them nodded their heads in complete agreement, Jessamine in particular smiling at her cousin for his efforts.

"That'd be wonderful Sam. Thank you." Frodo said smiling a little himself, and she could see the gratitude radiating from his eyes.

"Think nothing of it. We're your friends after all, aren't we?" Sam asked turning to look at the whole group who shouted, "Of course!" in response. With that Mina got right to work, going through all the guest bedrooms and with Sam's help gathered the mattresses to place together in the sitting room beside the fireplace, where the rest of the gang was moving the furniture. They had done this numerous times as children, and just as they had then they made sure to divide the room into halves so both the girls and boys could have their own. They were after all upstanding Hobbits who knew the value of propriety.

"Tell us a story Violet. One of Bilbo's. You do remember them right?" Ebony asked once they had all settled in for the night, after a long exhausting day though truth be told none of them were very sleepy.

"Of course she does. Violet's had Bilbo's stories memorized since infancy. Isn't that right?" Merry said winking at his best friend (besides Pippin of course), who only beamed proudly back at him.

"Practically." Mina teased, but Jessa could tell she was also eager to hear one of the stories again.

"Well tell us one now, please. Maybe then it'll be like he never left." Ebony pleaded and at her words it was as if all of them were transported back in time to their old late nights at Bag-End (they were few and far between, which only made them more special) when Bilbo himself would relate the tales of his adventures, often with either one of the girls on his lap while the others gathered round his knee and gazed up at him in awe.

"Sure I'll tell one. If it's alright with Frodo." Violet said clearly not wanting to upset the other hobbit in his time 'grief'.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea." Frodo agreed a small sad smile spreading across his face as he did so.

"Alright then," Violet began and they all snuggled into their beds as she began the tale that had been so influential on all of them. "In a hole in a ground there lived a Hobbit."

A few weeks had passed and the aching had begun to fade into the need to continue with average everyday life, though I doubt any of them felt completely 'cured' of their longing. Still they were all gathered as usual at the Green Dragon where Violet and Rosie worked, the rest relaxing after that particular day's events.

_"Better than rain or rippling brook_"- Merry and Pippin sang as they danced around on top of one of the tables, before Pippin finished off with his 'incredible' solo. _"Is a mug of beer inside this Took!"_ Jessamine and Mina laughed together at their friends antics, while Ebony continued to dance around the tables on the ground as if she were completely oblivious to the rest of the world. Many a lad tried to step in and join with her (Richard Grubb being the foremost of them all) but to their great frustration she was somehow always able to spin just out of their reach.

"Come on Pip. Why don't you join your sister, and show us what some real dancing is." Violet teased even as she handed both boys another mug of ale, making everyone laugh.

"That was real dancing!" Merry protested stiffly. "There is nothing more real and sophisticated as a Hobbits drinking jig. What more could you want?"

"I don't know, but whatever Ebony's doing looks pretty interesting to me. Why don't you go try it, unless you're too scared." She replied, and that immediately got both boys attention.

"Merry and I aren't scared of anything. Come on Ebony, let's show her." Pip called as he skillfully caught his sister and twirled her around, beginning a complicated dance that none of the hobbits had ever seen before, making them cheer all the louder.

"Of course not. Mina come on, you be my partner." Merry insisted, and before she could even protest the two were out in the middle of the floor twirling about, albeit a little less gracefully then their friends. Now it was Violets and Jessamine's turn to laugh, before Violet handed Jessa her signature cup of hot cocoa (it was what all of the girls preferred to drink, especially seeing as they were usually the ones responsible for making sure the boys made it home alright) and headed back to work.

Jessa went to sit down besides Sam, his father the Old Gaffer, Mina's grandpa the Old Noakes, and the Sandyman who she found to be having a serious conversation. Well the latter three were anyway. Sam was far too busy watching Rosie (who of course was smiling back at him, much to Violet's dismay) to pay them any real attention.

"Samwise Gamgee, hasn't anyone ever told you it's impolite to stare?" She whispered in his ear, nearly making him jump out of his seat before blushing bright red as he grinned sheepishly at her. She giggled in response, until her Uncles' grim tone caught her attention.

"There's been some strange folk crossing the Shire. Dwarves, and others of a less than savory nature." The Gaffer said his brow creased with distrust and concern.

"War is brewing. The mountains are fair teeming with goblins." The Old Noakes agreed in his own solemn distasteful tone.

"Far-off tales and children's stories, that's all that is. You're beginning to sound like that old Bilbo Baggins. Cracked, he was." The Sandyman scoffed, and it was all Jessa could do to keep from yelling at him.

"Young Mr. Frodo, here, he's cracking." Gaffer commented laughing as he nodded at the young Hobbit in question as he headed their way with carrying a couple of mugs in his hands.

"And proud of it! Cheers, Gaffer!" Frodo declared good naturedly as he sat across from her and handed out the drinks. She couldn't help but grin at the way he was so proud of his heritage. Their eyes met for a long moment, and he beamed back at her until Sam leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Jessamine Greenhand, hasn't anyone ever told you it's impolite to stare?"

Blushing furiously she quickly glanced away, but not before a wonderful feeling she couldn't quite describe seemed to fill her whole body with a warmth, that not even the Sandyman's next comment could wipe away. "Well it's none of our concern what goes on beyond our borders. Keep your nose out of trouble and no trouble'll come to you."

Later that night Violet walked Jessamine, Frodo, Sam and Mina out the door later that night after most of the other patrons (including Merry and Pippin, under Ebony's insistence) had already gone. Rosie of course was already standing there as she did practically every night. "Goodnight, lads, and ladies." She told them in her sugary sweet tone, that fairly made Violet bristle especially as she saw Sam smile shyly back at her.

"Goodnight." He managed to choke out as they passed, and the three other Hobbits all gave each other knowing looks, which only made Violet more mad.

"I'll be back in a second Rosie, I'm just going to walk them to the road." She said briskly, not even bothering to look at her sister's face as she hurried them on.

"Goodnight, sweet maiden of the Golden Ale!" They heard a very drunk Hobbit say behind them, and when she turned she could see that he had gotten down on one knee to do it. For the briefest of seconds Violet wondered if any Hobbit lad could show such affection for her, but she shoved it away just as quickly. Such thinking was pointless, and besides the boy was drunk. It had no meaning whatsoever.

"Mind who you're sweet talking." Sam growled, equally disturbed by the action though for completely different reasons.

"Don't worry, Sam. Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one." Frodo assured him.

"Does she?" He asked smiling uncertainly, in a way that only made Violet's heart break all the more.

"Sadly, yes." She whispered almost silently under her breath, before continuing aloud. "Goodnight Sam. Frodo, Jessa, Mina. I'll see you tomorrow." And with a farewell hug for each of them, she sprinted back to the Inn to finish up work for the night.

The rest of the tired hobbits continued on their way, talking and laughing amongst themselves until they finally reached Bag-End and they all paused none of them really wanting to go home despite their fatigue. "Oh! Jessa I finished the book you let me borrow. Do you want to come get it now?" Frodo suddenly asked his face hopeful.

"I don't know. I was going to make sure Sam got home alright, seeing his present condition…." Jessa hesitate looking at her, well slightly drunk cousin with a skeptical eye.

"Don't worry, I'll help him." Mina offered grinning mischievously at the other girl, even as she took Sam's arm in her own so as to 'properly' escort him. "We'll get there eventually won't we Sam?"

"Yes, don't worry about me Jessamine. I'll be alright." Sam agreed shrugging off her concerns and gripping tightly to Mina the way they used to when they were younger and running around the Shire together.

"But shouldn't you be heading back to Bywater Mina? You've already come with us this far, and it's getting late. What'll your Grandfather say?" Jessa asked, knowing the Old Noakes was extremely protective of her, seeing as her mother had died in child birth and as a result she and her father (who had become quite sullen after the tragedy) had lived for her as long as anyone could remember.

"Oh I'll be fine. It's not that far, and I've walked this road at least a million times and never been stopped once. Papa and Grandpa won't worry a bit." She replied in the same casual tone, though she was touched by her friends concern.

"Okay. Well goodnight then." Jessa reluctantly gave in smiling cheerily at the two as they waved and began to continue on their way.

"Yes, Goodnight Sam, Mina!" Frodo called after them.

"Goodnight!" They called in return without even a backward glance. Laughing softly to themselves both Frodo and Jessa walked up the path and into the lovely hobbit hole. Suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed both of them by the shoulders yanking them around and the two found themselves staring into the face of a disheveled wild old man.

"Is it secret? Is it safe?" He asked his voice matching his appearance.

"Ah!" Jessamine screamed jumping backwards until Frodo caught her and clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Relax Jessa. It's only Gandalf." He assured her, and after taking a closer look she realized that he was right. But still there was a gleam in his eyes that she did not altogether like, and she had no idea why.

"The Ring Frodo. Quickly! Bring me the Ring!" Gandalf pressed in the same urgent tone, not even bothering to confirm his identity. Frodo immediately let go of Jessamine and rushed to do as he was asked, opening one of the chests in the hall and tearing through it, tossing out scrolls and various other objects, before finally laying hands on the one he was looking for.

"A ha!" He declared, holding the envelope up to Gandalf. Without a single word the wizard snatched it up and tossed it directly into the fire in one swift motion. "What are you doing?" Both Frodo and Jessa cried in alarm as they watched the envelope being consumed in the flames and the Ring beginning to almost glow inside.

Once again Jessamine found herself consumed with strange tingles at the sight of it, though they were not nearly as bad as the shivers that had coursed through her when she'd held it. Gandalf heedless to either of the hobbits distress, grabbed a pair of tongs and picked the object up ever so carefully pulling it from the blaze. "Hold out your hand Frodo, it's quite cool." He said even as he dropped the Ring into Frodo's outstretched hand. "What can you see? Can you see anything?"

"Nothing. There's nothing." Frodo said as he turned it over between his fingers, studying it curiously.

"Wait. There are markings." Jessamine corrected him as she reached to point them out, instantly retracting her hand as she received a sudden shock at her touch.

"Oh yes, I see them now. But it's some sort of Elvish. I can't read it." Frodo agreed, squinting his eyes as if perhaps with enough concentration he might be able to figure it out.

"There are few who can. The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here." Gandalf told them his voice grim.

"Mordor?" Frodo breathed his face masking the same disbelief she could feel growing in her own heart.

"In the common tongue it says, 'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'" Gandalf continued, and a heavy silence filled the room.

"Well why don't I make some tea, and we can all sit in some comfort while Gandalf explains exactly what's going on." Jessamine finally suggested breaking through the tension, and the boys eagerly agreed.

"This is the One Ring. Forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom. Taken by Isildur form the hand of Sauron himself."

"Bilbo found it. In Gollums cave." Jessa murmured as she set the cups of tea down on the table in front of them and stared at the offending object with the same morbid fascination.

"Yes. For sixty years the Ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age. But no longer Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It's heard it's master's call." Gandalf said his voice deadly serious.

"But he was destroyed! Sauron was destroyed!" Frodo insisted seeming on the edge of hysteria, and who could blame him?

"No, Frodo. The Spirit of Suaron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring, and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned. His Orcs have multiplied. His fortress at Barad-Dûr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron need only this Ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness. He is seeking it, seeking it. All his thought is bent on it. The Ring yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one, the Ring and the Dark Lord. Frodo, he must never find it."

"Alright, we put it away. We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again. No one knows it's here, do they?" Frodo decided snatching the Ring up and rushing to look for a place to hide it; that is until he noticed the wizard's silence. "Do they Gandalf?"

"There is one other who knew that Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum. But the enemy found him first." He admitted grudgingly, the worry and concern showing blatantly on his face. "I don't know how long they tortured him. But amidst the endless screams and insane babble, they discerned two words. Shire. Baggins."

"Shire. Baggins. But that would lead them here!" Frodo realized his eyes widening with a panic that urged Jessamine to say the most profound words of the entire night.

"Uh oh."

"Take it Gandalf! Take it!" Frodo held the Ring out to him.

"No Frodo." He refused it stiffly.

"You must take it!" Frodo insisted.

"You cannot offer me this Ring!"

"I'm giving it to you!"

"Don't tempt me Frodo! I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand Frodo, I would use this Ring from a desire to do good. But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine." Gandalf's voice became even more earnest than before, and the distress in his eyes was almost more than any of them could take.

"But it cannot stay in the Shire!" Jessamine pointed out, her own apprehension beginning to get the best of her.

"No! No it can't." Gandalf agreed as he gave Frodo a knowing look. The young hobbit seemed to stare back at the wizard for a long time, before his jaw set with determination and he closed his hand around the Ring.

"What must I do?" He asked solemnly.

"You must leave, and leave quickly." Was the equally solemn reply.

"Leave?!" Jessa gasped gaping back and forth between the two of them, trying to gage their seriousness, but they were already off. Frodo had grabbed one of his bags from his room and was stuffing clothes into it, while Gandalf rummaged for other supplies.

"Where? Where do I go?" Frodo asked, never once looking up from his task.

"Get out of the Shire. Make for the village Bree." Gandalf decided, equally determined to help his young friend now that the decision was made.

"Wait what?" Jessa continued to fumble as she helplessly watched them pack, dread spreading clear through her as she thought of what it would be like if Frodo really were to leave her. How would she survive?

"Bree. What about you?" Frodo asked the wizard, finally risking a quick glance in his direction, though it was obvious he was avoiding her gaze completely.

"I'll be waiting for you, at the Inn of the Prancing Pony." He replied.

"Gandalf! Frodo!" She yelled at them one last time, stamping her foot at their rude behavior.

"And the Ring will be safe there?" Frodo continued to ignore her, so with a glare she rushed from the room fueled by a personal determination as she came to a decision of her own.

"I don't know Frodo. I don't have any answers. I must see the head of my order. He is both wise and powerful. Trust me Frodo, he'll know what to do. You'll have to leave the name of Baggins behind you, for that name is not safe outside the Shire. Travel only by day. And stay off the road." Gandalf helped Frodo put on his cloak.

"I can cut across country easily enough." He assured the Wizard as he quietly slipped the Ring into his pocket and turned to face him, as ready for the journey ahead as he ever would be.

"You mean we can." Jessamine corrected stepping into the room with her own bag and cloak upon her back. The girls had, upon Mina's insistence, hidden a stash of supplies in case any such chance for an adventure should ever really arise.

"We?" Both boys protested immediately staring at her in utter shock, though Frodo seemed much less surprised than Gandalf.

"You honestly didn't think you were leaving me behind did you?" She asked smirking at her long time best friend and confidante.

"But Jessamine, what about your family and Sam?" He asked brow creased with concern.

"They can get along well enough without me. At least until we can figure out what to do with the Ring and return." She insisted, shrugging off the matter as nonchalantly as she could.

"It will be a very dangerous journey, Jessamine. Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into?" Gandalf warned forcing her to meet his gaze which she did so steadily.

"Yes. I'm absolutely sure." She said without even the tiniest quaver in her voice, before she went on to settle the matter. "If Frodo's leaving I'm going with him, and that's final."

"My dear friends. Hobbits really are amazing creatures! You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years, they can still surprise you." Gandalf sighed and they all beamed at one another until suddenly they heard rustling coming from just outside the window. "Get down!" He cried, and both Jessa and Frodo hit the ground as they waited to see what horrific intruder could be lurking just outside Bag-End.

"Oh periwinkle. I left my sack at Bag-End when I was cleaning earlier. Would you mind if we went back to fetch it Sam? It should only take a second." Mina asked as she brought the two of them to a sudden halt after they had almost reached Sam's house (it really wasn't that far away) and she remembered her pack. "It has all my tools, and I have the morning shift at the mill tomorrow. I can't risk not getting there on time, or going without them. Please."

"Of course, I don't mind. It's a lovely night." He reassured her and the two of them headed back the way they had just come until the stood in front of the newly lit up hobbit hole.

"Thanks, you can wait here, I should really only be a second…." She began before Sam tightened his grip on her arm a strange look of concentration coming over his face.

"Sh… Do you hear that?" He asked, and falling silent she strained herself to listen. Sure enough familiar raised voices began to drift out of Bag-End.

"Yes. It sounds like…"

"Gandalf!" They finished together, before rushing forward to hide underneath one of the open windows to listen in. (Of course it was the same conversation of which you have already been a party to, so I as the author will not bore you with it again.) Mina was so alarmed by what she heard that she accidentally leaned a little too far forward and tumbled into the flower bed in front of her creating a semi loud rustling sound.

Before either hobbit could make a single move, a staff poked through the window and smacked Sam right on the head. "Ooph!" He moaned just as they were grabbed by front of their shirts and dragged into the room, thrown onto the nearest table and found themselves staring up into the unforgiving face of their dear but powerful friend.

"Confound it all Samwise Gamgee, and Aquamarine Noakes. Have you two been eavesdropping?" Gandalf accused glaring at both of the shivering hobbits.

"I haven't dropped no eaves sir, honest. I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you follow me." Sam protested, doing his best not to fumble under the pressure.

"And I was helping him!" Mina agreed, grasping onto the excuse with all she was worth.

"A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?" He asked skeptically, and Mina could tell he didn't believe them, but still she had to try.

"Really? Oh so it is. Ha! I wondered why it seemed awfully dark, but we were so focused we hardly noticed. And after all it is just such a lovely night, and the air is absolutely… crisp. Perfect for gardening…" Mina stammered into silence under his stern glower, doing her best to hide beside Sam who was equally intimidated.

"We heard raised voices." He finally admitted after what felt like a long moment, but was probably only a millisecond or two.

"What did you hear? Speak!" Gandalf demanded.

"N-n-n-nothing important. That is I heard a good deal about a Ring and something about the end of the world but… Please Mister Gandalf sir, don't hurt us. Don't turn us into anything…."

"Unnatural." Mina finished with him, and the two huddled together as if to try and offer as much protection as they could from whatever Gandalf's punishment might be.

"No?" Gandalf asked, as a sudden idea seemed to light up in his eyes, and Mina noticed both Jessamine and Frodo for the first time out of the corner of her eye, staring at the two of them in disbelief. "Perhaps not. I have thought of a better use for you two."

**Please leave a review! I hope you liked this chapter! **


	3. Chapter 3

The Black Rider

"Come along Samwise, Keep up!" Gandalf called behind him to the poor hobbit, as the group continued on their way along the forested path. Mina glanced back at the struggling hobbit, as he strained to carry his bulging pack.

"Oh Sam, I told you to pack light." She teased as she turned and grabbed some of the encumbering pots and pans and shoved them as best she could onto her own. "My goodness did you bring your whole kitchen? What did you think you'd need all of this for anyway?"

"You never know." He defended himself, blushing slightly as he helped her situate the items more comfortably on her back. "I didn't want to risk forgetting anything. Just watch you'll be thanking me later."

"Sure Sam, whatever you say." She giggled rolling her eyes, though she winked to let him know she was only kidding. Luckily he laughed to, and the two friends linked arms and working to help support one another hurried to catch up to the rest of their friends.

"Be careful all of you. The enemy has spies in his service: birds, beasts." Gandalf warned once they had, before turning to look directly at Frodo and semi-whispering, "Is it safe?" To which the young hobbit nodded and patted his jacket pocket gently. Mina still didn't understand the whole business of the Ring, but she knew the very idea of having such a powerful weapon of Mordor with them unnerved her; especially since she had personally witnessed Bilbo handling it many times while she was working at his home, though she had never told any of her friends. By the looks of things Jessamine was even more affected by its presence.

"Never put it on for the agents of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. Always remember, Frodo, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found." The old wizard continued drawing Mina from her thoughts as he mounted his horse and with one final nod of farewell rode off into the distance. She watched him go for what seemed a long moment, before turning to glance at her friends. They all seemed to have the same look of nervous anticipation that she felt welling up in her heart.

"Well what are we waiting for then? Let's start walking." Jessamine finally said, with a forced smile which earned her a real one from Frodo. And with that he took up his walking stick and continued on their journey, the rest of them following close after him. They walked for what felt like ages, and for the first time in her life she was grateful for her long hours working at the mill that had somewhat prepared her for such a strenuous journey; particularly now that she had this extra load upon her back.

They eventually came to a cornfield when Sam suddenly stopped in his tracks, bringing Mina to a halt beside him (as his arm was still linked with hers). "What's wrong Sam?" She asked, glancing up curiously at him and causing both Frodo and Jessamine to turn their attention as well. "Why'd you stop?"

"This is it." Sam replied, his voice soft and forlorn as he took in his surroundings.

"This is what?" Mina pressed, even more curious than she had been before.

"If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been." He told her, and at that moment as she looked back at the path which they had been following so diligently it finally struck her; the reality that she was really leaving home, something that both thrilled and frightened her at the same time.

"Come on Sam." Frodo said smiling gently at his dear friend as he came and took him by the other arm. Together he and Mina helped him (Sam) take this one most important step, while Jessa turned and watched her dearest friends and cousin with a certain pride. "Remember what Bilbo used to say? It's a dangerous business Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

After a long day of travel the weary group finally set up camp. Sam and Jessamine immediately set about to cooking a fine meal of bacon, tomatoes, and sausages while Frodo lounged in a tree limb (reading one of Jessamine's books that she had insisted on bringing along with them; she was the book worm out of the group if you haven't realized that yet) and Mina started preparing makeshift beds out of whatever soft material she could find.

"Mmm… Sam. It smells delicious. Thank goodness you thought to bring the pans." Jessamine told her cousin graciously, smiling softly to herself as he turned to beam at her with pride.

"Thanks Jessa. I'm glad someone appreciates my forward thinking." He replied, shouting this last in a certain hobbit lasses direction.

"Hey, I'm just thankful Jessamine's the one cooking the bacon. I really don't feel like trying to choke down ash tonight, thank you very much." Mina returned with pretend indignation that made both Jessa and Frodo laugh.

"I quite agree. That's why I'm not letting you anywhere near this fire." He returned smugly, and at this even Mina couldn't hold a straight face anymore and burst into gales of laughter as she threw a handful of leaves in his general direction; and missing him by about a yard.

"Agreed!" With that they all returned to their business, and they fell into a comfortable companionable silence. That is until Mina once again cried out, her voice filled with excitement. "Hey Jessa! Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes!" Jessa squealed, after pausing from her work long and taking a moment to listen to the sweet high voices whose song was being carried over the breeze. "Sam, Frodo! Wood-Elves!" They all dropped what they were doing instantly, and rushed up to the nearest ridge where they lay side by side and watched a procession of elves passing slowly through the forest.

"They're so beautiful." Mina breathed her voice matching the pure awe in her eyes.

"But they're song sounds so sad." Jessamine whispered her heart both breaking and soaring to the hauntingly beautiful melody. "Where do you think they're heading Frodo?"

"They're going to the harbor beyond the White Towers. To the Grey Havens." He answered turning to meet her gaze, his gorgeous blue eyes filled with wonder and sadness at the reality.

"They're leaving Middle-earth." Sam realized sounding completely devastated, perhaps even horrified at the thought.

"Never to return." Frodo affirmed in an almost reverent tone.

"Never?" Both girls gasped, unable to even try and comprehend such a thing. The boys just nodded their heads, and they all fell silent as they continued to silently watch the lovely company continue on their journey.

"I don't know why- it makes me sad." Sam finally said, and each of them agreed as they waited a moment more before turning and heading back to camp.

It was late into the night and Jessamine lay back in her own little makeshift 'bed' listening to the noise of Frodo's and Sam's soft and steady breathing, both completely lost in sleep. Mina on the other hand she could hear tossing and turning like no other.

"Everywhere I lie there's a dirty great root sticking into my back!" She huffed in exasperation after a few more minutes of constant wriggling.

"Just shut your eyes, and imagine you're back in your own bed, with a soft mattress and a lovely feather pillow." Jessa suggested as she turned to smile sympathetically at her dear friend. She nodded in return, and taking a deep breath lay back down and closing her eyes lay still for a long moment.

"It's not working Jessamine. I'm never going to be able to sleep out here." She sighed in defeat.

"Me neither, Mina. Me neither." Was Jessamine's only reply.

It was towards the middle of the next day and the group was in the middle of a cornfield and they did their best to try and stick together, but it wasn't long before Sam looked up and suddenly found himself all alone in the seemingly endless waves of corn. "Mister Frodo? Frodo! Frodo!" He called out in a panic, rushing around the next bend in the path where his three friends stood waiting for him.

"We're right here Sam." Jessa told her cousin in the gentlest tone she could manage, though it was all she could do to hide her rising amusement at his peculiar almost paranoid behavior.

"Yeah, glad to see you're so concerned about Jessa and I as well." Mina added pretending to be extremely offended.

"I thought I'd lost you." He continued, wisely ignoring her comments at the moment and focusing in on his best friend.

"What are you talking about?" Frodo asked curiously, and Jessamine could tell just by looking at him that he felt much the same way she did.

"It's just something Gandalf said." Sam admitted, beginning to grow more and more sheepish about his actions, but wanting to defend them anyway.

"What did he say?" Frodo asked, suddenly more solemn and curious.

"'Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee!' And I don't mean to." He replied in the most firm, devoted, and emphatic tones that almost made Jessamine shiver. It was simply so beautiful, perhaps a bit strange, but beautiful as well. She was glad Frodo had her cousin here to watch out for him; if his task truly was as dangerous as Gandalf had first predicted he'd need all the friends he could get to see him through, and she was determined to be one of them.

"Oh Sam, you're sweet. But really, we're still in the Shire! What could possibly happen?" Mina pointed out, though her tone was not at all reprimanding, as she came to stand beside him reaching for his arm as she had yesterday. Suddenly they heard a rustling sound coming from the corn right to the side of them, and as she turned to get a closer look Jessa saw a streak flying out into the path and heading straight toward Mina.

"Watch out!"

"Hey Violet!" She heard Ebony call out to her, as the younger girl ran to catch up to her friend. "What are you up to this fine morning?"

"Oh nothing. Just checking the pond for Mina." Violet told her as soon as she had reached her, trying to shrug the whole thing off but neither of them were fooled.

"Still no sign of her?" Ebony pressed, her face beginning to fall and crease with the same worry that Violet felt filling her heart.

"Nope. Or Jessamine, Frodo, or Sam." She replied with as nonchalantly as possible, before sighing in defeat. "I'm starting to get really worried. Where in Middle-Earth could they be?"

"I have no idea." Ebony admitted sadly. "Probably off on some grand adventure."

"Without us?" Violet exclaimed in absolute shock at the idea. "How rude!"

"I know, but what else would make Mina run off into the blue without even letting her dad or grandpa know where's gone." Ebony pointed out logically. "I swear the Old Noakes was going to murder Pippin when he came over the other day, certain he'd 'kidnapped' his granddaughter as another one of his silly pranks."

"Poor Pippin." She tried to sympathize, but it wasn't long before both girls were practically rolling on the ground laughing at the idea of Pip being beaten by the old protective hobbit; the one and only time he actually hadn't done anything wrong.

"Speaking of Pippin, he, Merry and I are going to…. 'visit' Farmer Maggots fields. Would you care to join us?" Ebony asked once they had finally stopped laughing. Violet hesitated for a moment as she thought about the numerous chores she was supposed to get done before heading down to the Green Dragon later that night; but then an image of Rosie, with that pitiful lovesick look on her face, constantly sighing and asking everyone if they thought 'her' Sam would come back for her soon.

"Yes." She said with fervently. "Definitely."

"Great, come on. They'll be waiting for us down by the river." With that the two girls took off down the road to meet their beloved friends before heading off to 'visit' Farmer Maggots place. It didn't take long for Violet to forget about all of her worries as they laughed and talked, while gathering up as many vegetables as they could possibly carry. She was especially grateful for Merry, who seeing her mood never left her side for a moment but did everything in his power to cheer her up; reminding her of the reason why he of all hobbits was her greatest friend and confidante.

All was going well on their little exploit until Pippin, being the extremely brilliant hobbit that he was, decided to try and sneak his way into the part of the field right beside the Farmer's house where the best of the crop was kept. Of course he was caught and soon all five of them were literally running for their lives as they sought to escape the man's wrath. "You just had to do it, didn't you Pip?" Merry complained as he ran, struggling to keep hold of his delicious goods while he did so. "Couldn't leave good enough alone."

"Well I got the carrots didn't I?" He defended himself whilst gasping for air. "And besides, the chase is the funnest part."

"Yeah, until you get caught!" Violet pointed out, giving her friend a long look as if to emphasize her point.

"Would you three quit arguing and just run!" Ebony exclaimed, struggling to keep up with her slightly taller friends.

"I quite agree Bonnie. In fact, I'll race you." Pippin replied as he put on a burst of speed right through the edge of the cornfield, flying straight into an unsuspecting hobbit as he burst through its edge and causing the two to tumble to the ground. "MINA!"

Violet was only a few paces behind him, and was so distracted at the sight of Pippin tackling their best friend, she too found herself colliding with another poor unsuspecting hobbit. "Frodo? Merry! It's Frodo Baggins." She cried out as soon as she realized exactly who it was.

"Hello Frodo!" Merry greeted him, from where he stood with Ebony at the edge of the path, grinning smugly at the startled group.

"Get off her!" Sam scowled at Pippin as he practically picked him up and threw him off Mina and helping her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you Sam." She assured him smiling gratefully for his assistance, before turning and practically tackling Pippin with a hug.

"What's the meaning of this?" Jessa asked as she helped both Frodo and Jessa to their feet, while taking in the group and their loot.

"Hold this." Ebony told Sam dumping her load of vegetables into his surprised arms, completely ignoring the question as she turned to give both of her friends and 'cousin' (technically Merry was more closely related to Frodo than her and Pippin being his actual cousin, but she didn't really care) hugs.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" He (Sam) accused his eyes going wide with the realization.

"Pippin!" Mina reprimanded, pulling away so she could look her bewildered best friend in the eyes. "And you didn't invite me?!"

"We couldn't find you." He defended. "We've only torn apart all of Bywater and Hobbiton searching for you."

"Yeah, what are you all doing out here anyway?" Ebony asked with innocent curiosity.

"Hoi! You get back here! Wait till I get this through you! Get out of my fields! You'll know the devil if I catch up with you!" They heard a voice yelling out behind them before anyone could even think to answer.

"Run for it!" Violet cried grabbing Jessamine's hand and pulling her along as she raced after Merry who had already taken off through the fields on the other side of the path, the rest following suit.

"Dunno why he's so upset. It's only a couple of carrots!" Merry insisted vying for his innocence in the whole matter.

"And some cabbages." Violet reminded him.

"And those few bags of potatoes that we lifted last week." Ebony joined in.

"And the mushrooms the week before." Pippin finished, making Frodo, Sam's and Jessamine's eyes go wide at the group's accomplishments.

"Yes Pippin! My point is, he's clearly overreactin'." Merry argued, just as they could hear barking not too far behind them.

"Run!" Jessa needlessly screamed, and so the group did, right to the edge of a ledge which (thanks to Ebony) they ended up tumbling over and landing in a huge heap on the ground below.

"Ooh! That was close." Pippin remarked, wrinkling his nose at the piece of dung lying not too far from his face.

"No kidding." Mina mumbled from her spot right beneath him, at the bottom of the pile, her face pressed firmly into the dirt.

"Owww! I think I've broken something." Merry moaned as he reached behind him and pulled out a poor cracked carrot.

"Oh periwinkle. And I had dib's." Violet sighed as she pulled herself free, and reached to help him up as well.

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took!" Sam muttered as he was brushing himself off, before bending to help first Ebony then both Pippin and Mina to their feet, seeing as Jessamine and Frodo had already managed themselves.

"What? That was just a detour, a shortcut." Merry argued innocently.

"A shortcut to what?" Sam shot back.

"Mushrooms!" Ebony cried with delight and immediately all of the hobbits except for Frodo and Jessamine dashed forward to claim their prize.

In fact Violet was just in the middle of taking a bit of her fourth mushroom (having already filled her pockets to the bursting point) when she thought she heard Frodo faintly say, "I think we should get off the road." Then much more firmly, "Get off the road! Quick!"

Merry immediately grabbed her hand and dragged her under a large overhanging treeroot/log with the others, where they silently sought to hear whatever it was that had so frightened Frodo. That is except for Merry and Pippin who kept jostling one another in an attempt to get comfortable.

"Shh!" Sam implored them, though they completely ignored him.

"Stop it! Be quiet!" Mina hissed authoritatively immediately bringing both boys to a stop in a way that made Violet smirk. Leave it to Mina to handle those two. The only person she could think of who might have done it better was herself. Her smirk disappeared however, as she heard and saw signs of some great black rider dismounting his horse and coming right toward their hiding place. She could almost feel some horrifying evil radiating off of whomever or whatever it was that approached, and she could scarcely breathe for the tarrying tension that filled the air.

Jessamine felt much the same way, and seeking strength and reassurance she turned to face Frodo and was shocked to see a look of pain and horror in his eyes. He reached into his pocket and gradually began to put it on but she stopped him just in the nick of time, reaching out to firmly place his hand within her own. He turned and smiled at her in grateful surprise, and she managed to smile in return though her skin was burning where it touched the dreaded ring.

Just at that moment Merry made a brilliant move, throwing his sack full of vegetables into the forest, causing the Rider to whirl away and follow after the sound. The frightened assembly took advantage and made their break for it, sprinting as far as they dared before stopping and gasping for breath.

"What was that?" Violet demanded looking directly at Frodo as she did so. He didn't answer, but just stared at the Ring lying so harmlessly on his palm.

"Anything?" Sam whispered to Frodo from their spot hiding behind a cluster of trees. The group had continued their process of darting and hiding throughout the Forest, in their attempts to avoid the Black Riders as they called them clear until nightfall.

"Nothing." He replied solemnly.

"What is going on?" Ebony persisted looking very confused and even frightened, though she was clearly doing her best to be brave.

"That Black Rider was looking for something… or someone." Merry agreed narrowing his gaze suspiciously at his cousin. "Frodo?"

"Get down!" Jessamine hissed just as the creature rode past them appearing to be leaving the area behind.

"I have to leave the Shire. Sam, Jessa, Mina and I must get to Bree." Frodo finally admitted turning to meet Merry's gaze.

"Right. Buckleberry Ferry. Follow me." Merry decided, instantly leaping to his feet Violet right on his heels and once again darting off deeper into the wood; this time with a specific destination in mind. It wasn't long before the another Black Rider suddenly appeared along their path and gave chase as they did their best to divert him and make their way to the river.

"Run! This way, follow me! Run!" Pippin cried reaching out to take both Ebony and Mina's hands pulling them along as best he could not willing to let either girl go until they had actually reached dock. Mina immediately dived into the water, swimming to the other end of the Ferry in order to be ready to help pull it along as soon as the boys had it untied.

"Get the rope Sam! Violet help Pippin push off." Merry ordered, uncoiling his own mooring rope while Violet and Pippin used long poles to shove off, Mina heaving on her side for all she was worth.

"Frodo!" Sam called out while Ebony screamed "Jessamine!", as they turned and saw their best friends and cousins still running for his life, the black riders right on his heels.

"Go Jessamine, go! I know you can run faster than this. Get to the ferry!" Frodo pleaded more anxious for her safety than that of his own.

"I'm not leaving you!" She insisted stubbornly, reaching out to once again firmly take his hand to prove her point.

"Hurry!" The others all shouted from their spot atop the ferry that was gradually floating away (even Mina had climbed on board by this time).

"Jump! Jump!" Violet demanded knowing it was her friends only hope. Luckily they did as she suggested, leaping onto the raft in the nick of time.

"How far to the nearest crossing?" Frodo asked once he had regained his breath, and Violet looked up at Merry the same question clearly showing in her eyes.

"Brandywine Bridge: Twenty miles." Was his solemn reply.


End file.
